txaviator

txaviator

Well Known Member
Morning!

I have completed a lot of the finishing kit, but here are my specifc questions:

I've done the wiring, and I'm on the gear. I am at the stage where I need to install avionics, install the canopy, layup the fiberglass fairing, mount the cowling, and do all of the rigging. My plane is still in my shop at home.

While I have a 1200' shop, it is not configured in a way that I can install the wings inside. I've been planning to find a good window of weather (3-4 days of no rain forecasted), roll the plane outside, setup a 10' x 10' popup awning over the cockpit, install the wings, then do all of the rigging. Note that in north Texas, it's REALLY hot this time of year, and the weather is very unpredictable- despite the forecast. I've been having trouble finding a WX forecast that allows for this and also jives with my work schedule.

So here's my thinking: I want to do everything I can at home before taking the plane to the airport. This will save countless trips back and forth for tools. For those that have completed their -12's, what do you think about me doing everything else on the plane at home, then saving the wing installation and rigging for the only thing I really need to complete once I am at the airport hangar? In other words, I am skipping the control cable rigging and bouncing around in the plans. Any pro or con to doing this? I'm not a fan of skipping around in the plans, but I don't really see where it would be a problem to wait on the control rigging until I arrive at the airport.

Thoughts from those who have completed their planes? Anything I should be aware of that I'm not thinking of?

Many thanks-
 
I am nearing the final lap (circuit?) on my RV-12 as well. Its still in my three-car garage / workshop with the airframe completed, engine installed, canopy done, and Skyview being configured. I test-fitted the wings awhile back by tempoarily pulling the fuselage outside (Northern California weather is delightful!) -- much to the delight of the neighbors.

My plan is to have EVERYTHING done and ready to fly before I move it out to the expensive :)eek:) hangar. The EVERYTHING part is probably unrealistic since I won't add fuel, etc. until I'm at the hangar, but it is a working goal. Too many times over the years I've seen builders take their "fully completed / almost ready to fly" projects out to the airport and then seen them work in the cold dark hangar without appropriate tools for another couple of months on the many final completion tasks that are inevitable. My recommendation is to do all that you can while you are in your nice cozy shop.

Good luck and happy test flying!

-- David
 
What wing rigging? The only thing you need to temporarily attach the wings for is one match- drilling of the rod that goes to the flaperon connector. (Don't have the plans handy.) You can push the plane outside to do that, put on the wings, drill the holes, only takes a few minutes. I did that before the gear, engine, and avionics (Sweetie was still on a flat table) and never reattached the wings again until I took everything to the airport for final assembly.
 
The only rigging on the wings are the ailerons which is a simple pushrod adjustment. You may need to file your stub spar ends to get the spar pins in, but no big deal. Finish everything before putting on the wings. Be careful adjusting stub spar ends or you'll have some fore and aft / vertical play and need shims (don't ask how I know!)
 
Thanks, guys. This is the info I was looking for. This is my first 'rodeo' and I probably read more into the plans on the wing attachment 'rigging' than I needed to. Logic now tells me that the rudder and stab rigging is of course, independent from the wing attachment stuff. I was just reading more into the plans than I should have...on a quick glance versus studying them completely. Thanks for the input.
 
What Bill H said. Having the same problem, I just rolled mine outside the garage and temp installed the wings, without the tail installed to make the drilling easy. After that, I moved my wings to the hangar to get them out of the way since they were done.
 
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